Monoclonal antibodies specific for HIV and the hybridomas for production thereof

ABSTRACT

Human monoclonal antibodies which belong to the IgG1 subclass and are specific for HIV are described. The monoclonal antibodies have potential for use in the diagnosis, prevention and therapy of HIV infection.

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/864,540, filedApr. 7, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 07/342,899, filed Apr. 25, 1989, now abandoned,which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/176,159,filed Mar. 31, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,419.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to human monoclonal antibodies(abbreviated as MCAs hereinafter) specific for the humanimmunodeficiency virus, and the hybridomas which produce the MCAs. Theobjective of this invention is to provide human MCAs which are specificfor HIV and which will be useful in the diagnosis, prevention andtherapy of HIV infection.

2. Discussion of the Background

HIV is a virus which primarily infects helper T lymphocytes and bringsabout extreme immunological failure by destroying those cells, therebycausing AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). In the early stage ofHIV infection, some patients develop symptoms which resemble those ofinfectious mononucleosis, i.e., fever, fatigue, headache, etc.Subsequently, although the patient becomes asymptomatic, he/she becomesa carrier of anti-HIV antibodies in the blood. Then, after a latentperiod lasting a number of years, the patient develops AIDS-relatedcomplex (ARC), ARC patients exhibit various symptoms such as systemicswelling of lymph nodes, fever, general fatigue, weight loss, decreasedplatelet and lymphocyte levels, etc. As the disease progresses, thepatient becomes susceptible to and develops Kaposi's sarcoma ormalignant lymphoma and various opportunistic infections such asPneumocystis carinii pneumonia, fungal infections, cytomegalovirusinfection, etc., which end in death. The most striking characteristicsof AIDS are the decrease in helper T lymphocytes (CD4), and a steadydecrease in the ratio of CD4 to suppressor T lymphocytes (CD8), i.e.,T4/T8, as the disease progresses.

AIDS was first reported in the United States of America in 1981, and ithas been estimated that today there are more than 100,000 AIDS patientsin the USA alone. Carriers of the virus have been estimated to numberone million persons in the USA. In addition to the USA, there are alsomany AIDS victims in Africa and Europe, and there is a huge amount ofresearch being carried out today on methods for the diagnosis,prevention and treatment of AIDS.

HIV, the causative agent of AIDS, is a retrovirus. This virus has beenshown to be composed of RNA consisting of about 9,700 base pairs, threegag proteins (having molecular weights of 55,000, 24,000 and 17,000daltons), a reverse transcriptase (molecular weights of 66,000 and51,000 daltons have been detected), three glycoproteins (two moleculeshaving molecular weights of 120,000 and 41,000 daltons, and theirprecursor, a molecule with a molecular weight of 160,000 daltons; theseglycoproteins are hereinafter abbreviated as gp120, gp41 and gp160)which comprise the envelope, and other components. Especially from theviewpoints of viral infection and the prevention thereof, the envelope,which is exposed as the surface of HIV, carries particular importance.As a result of proteolysis, gp160 is cleaved into gp120 and gp41. Gp41is a transmembrane protein which is incorporated into the lipid bilayerof the viral envelope, while gp120 is exposed on the outside of theenvelope and some of it is released from the virus. Both gp41 and gp120possess many sugar-binding sites, and about half of the gp120 moleculeis comprised of sugars. The gp120 molecule binds to, or near to, the CD4antigens which exist on the cell surface of helper T cells, etc., and inaddition to bringing about infection of the cells by the virus, gp120possesses activity which results in the syncytium formation in theinfected cells. Once HIV is bound to CD4 via gp120, another env geneproduct, gp41 mediates fusion between the membranes of the cell and thevirus allowing the core of the virus to enter the cell.

There is considerable evidence that the presence of neutralizingantibody to HIV in the HIV patient is predictive of a good prognosis.For example, M. Robert-Guroff et al. (J. Immunol. 138: 3731, 1987)reported that the progression of the disease was slower in patientswhose blood contained viral-neutralizing antibodies in comparison withpatients not having such antibodies. In addition, it has been reportedthat the neutralizing antibodies in the blood of AIDS patients bind togp120 (L. A. Lasky et al., Science, 233:209, 1986; and T. J. Matthew etal., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83:9709, 1986).

In one study (Robert-Guroff et al, Nature, 316:72-74, 1985) higherneutralizing titers were observed in the early, asymptomatic and ARCpatients than in AIDS patients. The target for neutralization was gp120and neutralization was strain specific (Matthews et al, Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci. USA, 83:9709-9713, 1986). Immunization of animals with gp120induced the production of neutralizing antibodies which were all strainspecific (Matthews et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83:9709-9713,1986; Lasky et al, Science, 233:209-212, 1986; Matthews et al,Haematology and Blood Transfusions, 31:414-422, 1987 and Looney et al,Science, 241:357-358, 1988). Subsequently, the immunodominant V3-loop ofgp120 was identified as the principal neutralizing domain (amino acids303-338 of gp120), and strain specificity was associated withhypervariability of this region (Javaherian et al, Proc. Natl. Acad.Sci. USA, 86:6768-6772, 1989). However, antibody to the GPGRAF sequenceof the V3-loop will neutralize divergent laboratory strains (Javaherianet al, Science, 250:1590-1593, 1990). In addition to neutralizingantibody to the linear V3-loop, antibodies to the conservedconfirmational epitope of gp120 which block gp120-CD4 binding were foundto neutralize divergent HIV isolates (Steimer et al, Science,254:105-108, 1991). Subsequently, several human monoclonal antibodieshave been developed (Posner et al, J. Immunology, 146:4325-4332, 1991and Tilley et al, Res. Virol. 142:247-259, 1991). In addition toepitopes of gp120, other HIV antigens apparently induce broadlyneutralizing antibody. These include p17 and gp41 (Robert-Guroff et al,Nature, 316:72-74, 1985 and Dalgleish et al, Virology, 165:209-215,1988).

Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is an importantmechanism of anti-HIV host defense. ADCC mediating antibody is directedat both gp120 and gp41 (Ojo-Amaize et al, J. Immunology, 139:2458-2463,1987 and Evans et al, AIDS 3:273-276, 1989) and can be present in aserum titer of up to 1:10,000 (Ojo-Amaize et al, J. Immunology,139:2458-2463, 1987). ADCC titers are higher in early HIV infection thanin full-blown AIDS suggesting a relationship to prognosis.

Even more important are reports of passive immunotherapy with high titeranti p24 plasma in patients with HIV infection. This has clearedantigenemia and improved clinical prognosis. (A. Karpas et al., Proc.Natl. Sci. USA, 85:9234, 1988; and G. G. Jackson., Lancet, 2:647, 1988).

Several factors suggest the need for passive serotherapy with monoclonalantibodies. Both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines have manypotential problems. These include genetic variability in HIV, inabilityto maintain high serum antibody titers after immunization, the presenceof several enhancing epitopes on HIV and the poor immune responsivenessof HIV patients. Passive serotherapy has been proposed for bothprevention and therapy of HIV infection and effective therapy has beenreported in man (Jackson et al, Lancet, 2:647-652, 1988 and Karpas etal, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:9234-9237, 1988). In monkeys,serotherapy with serum from animals immunized with whole virus vaccineprevented infection with both HIV-2 and SIVsm (Putkonen et al, Nature,352:436-438, 1991).

In light of the above background information regarding HIV and AIDS, itis obvious that neutralizing antibodies specific for viral antigensexposed on the surface of the virus or infected cells have greatsignificance in the prevention and/or treatment of this infection.

A number of research groups have already reported successful developmentof mouse MCA specific for gp120. For example, T. C. Chanh et al. (Eur.J. Immunol., 16:1465, 1986) reported that they chemically synthesized aportion of the peptide chain of gp120 and then prepared an MCA specificfor that synthetic peptide. They employed that MCA in the indirectfluorescent antibody technique and reported that they were able todetect HIV infection with greater sensitivity than was possible with thereverse transcriptase determination technique. In addition, Gosting etal. (J. Clin. Microbiol., 25:845, 1987) reported that they solubilizedHIV viral antigens, adsorbed them to a column of lentil lectin-Sepharose4B, collected the glycoprotein fraction thereof and used it to immunizemice, and succeeded in producing anti-gp120 mouse MCA and anti-gp41mouse MCA. Matsushita et al. (Medical Immunol., 14:307, 1987) alsoreported achieving viral neutralization with an anti-gp120 mouse MCA.These MCAs are useful in the diagnosis of HIV infection, but they areunfortunately unsuited for the tasks of prevention of HIV infection andtreatment of established disease (ARC and AIDS). The reason for this isthat, since those MCAs are mouse proteins, they are recognized asforeign by the human immune system if they are administered to the humanbody. As a result, not only would the MCA activity be inhibited by theanti-mouse MCA antibodies that would be produced by the human immunesystem, but anaphylactic side effects would also occur. Therefore, it isclear that, for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection in man, itis necessary to develop a human-origin MCA, not a mouse-origin MCA.

In general, human-origin anti-HIV MCAs can be produced by (1) hybridomasobtained by fusion of human B lymphocytes having the ability to produceantibodies specific for HIV and cells of established lymphoid cell linessuch as myeloma cells, and (2) lymphoblastoid cells obtained byEpstein-Barr (EB) virus-induced transformation of human B lymphocyteshaving the ability to produce antibodies specific for HIV. From about1980 up to the present time, much research has been carried out on theproduction of human MCAs, but none of those efforts have led to anestablished method such as in the case of mouse MCAs because each of theapproaches described above has its own special problems.

In 1987, there were two reports concerning human MCAs specific for HIV.One was by L. Evans et al. (Proceedings of the Third Congress on AIDS,TP130, 1987). They reported that they employed EB virus to transformlymphocytes from HIV-infected patients and obtained a human MCA whichreacted with gag proteins having molecular weights of 55, 41 and 25kilodaltons. The human MCA belonged to the IgG4 subclass, and it did notneutralize HIV. The second report was by B. Banapour et al. (ibid,TP114). They also employed EB virus to transform lymphocytes fromanti-HIV antibody-positive subjects, fused the transformed cells withheteromyeloma cells, and obtained a human MCA which reacted with gp41.This MCA was IgG, but the subclass was not reported. This MCA also didnot show HIV-neutralizing activity. Thus, in both of those reportstransformation by EB virus was employed. This technique, because it isvery efficient at achieving immortalization of human B lymphocytes, isfar superior to the cell fusion method. Nevertheless, the obtainedlymphoblastoid cell lines produce EB virus or even if they do notproduce the virus particles, they contain the EB viral DNA which carriesthe potential for production of the virus. EB virus has the ability totransform lymphocytes, which means that this virus has tumorigenicity.Therefore, there is worry concerning the safety of using this EB virustransformation technique to produce a drug product for administration tohumans.

It is also known that lymphoblastoid cells resulting from transformationof lymphocytes by EB virus can be further infected by HIV, and there isthus the fear that a cell line producing human MCA might be infected byboth EB virus and HIV. In addition, the antibody production bylymphoblastoid cell lines presents some disadvantages in view of thefacts that it is usually lower and also less stable than the level ofproduction by hybridomas. The reason that Banapour at al. performedadditional cell fusion of lymphoblastoid cell lines was to attempt toimprove the antibody producing ability of those cell lines.

Accordingly, as seen above, if the immortalization of human Blymphocytes could be achieved with greater efficiency by cell fusion andif a hybridoma having the ability to produce human MCA specific for HIVcould be obtained, then the resultant hybridoma would be very desirableon the basis of its having high productivity of an MCA which wouldmoreover be safe for use as a drug.

Recently, additional human and mouse monoclonal antibodies against HIVhave been developed (Posner et al, J. Immunology, 146:4325-4332, 1991;Petersen et al, Seventh International Conference on AIDS, WB:2291, 1991;Zolla-Pazner et al, Sixth International Conference on AIDS, 1:152, 1990;Matsushita et al, J. Virol., 62:2107-2114; 1988; and Ho et al, J. Virol.65:489-493, 1991). Studies have shown that neutralizing antibodydirected against the gp120-CD4 binding region are type-specific(Matsushita et al, J. Virol. 62:2107-2114, 1988; Nara et al, J. Virol.,62:2622-2628, 1988; Goudsmit et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,85:4478-4482, 1988 and Palker et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,85:1932-1936, 1988). The V3-loop formed by a disulfide bond between twocysteine residues at amino acid positions 308 and 338 of gp120 ishypervariable and over 245 gp120 V3-loop sequences from HIV infectedindividuals have been identified (LaRosa et al, Science, 249:932-935,1990). Therefore, it is not surprising that this immunodominant regionelicits only type-specific neutralizing antibody.

With regard to the subclass which would be the most desirable for humanMCAs, it is evident that it would be advantageous for the antibody to beof a subclass which possesses the ability to activate complement and theability to bind to the Fc receptors on macrophages and lymphocytes. Ithas been demonstrated that activation of complement by the classicalpathway can be achieved by the IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses, whereas IgG2and IgG4 cannot carry out this activation (J. L. Winkelhake, Immunochem;15:695, 1978). Furthermore, it has also been shown that the IgG1 andIgG3 subclasses have a strong affinity for the Fc receptors of monocytes(Cosio et al., Immuno., 44:773, 1981). Therefore, for the objective ofprevention of infection of cells, it is clear that the IgG1 and IgG3subclasses are desirable.

However, another consideration is necessary, i.e. that of purificationof the produced human MCA. Affinity chromatography using protein A canbe effective for the purification of MCAs; and since IgG1 binds toprotein A whereas IgG3 does not, it is clear that the IgG1 subclass ofhuman MCA would be the most desirable subclass from the viewpoint ofease of purification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors of the present invention, as a result of carrying outvigorous research aimed at obtaining an anti-HIV human MCA and employinga method involving fusion of mouse myeloma cells and lymphocytes fromthe lymph nodes or spleen of HIV-seropositive donors, succeeded inobtaining a hybridoma which produces a human MCA (IgG1 subclass)specific for gp120, and a hybridoma which produces a human MCA (IgG1subclass) reacting with both gp120 and gp41. They also succeeded inculturing those hybridomas and/or cell lines originating from thosehybridomas and were able to collect the anti-HIV human MCAs from thesupernatants of those cell cultures.

That is, the present invention consists of human monoclonal antibodieswhich are specific for HIV and belong to the IgG1 subclass, specificallyan IgG1 antibody which binds with gp120 of HIV, and an IgG1 antibodywhich binds with both gp120 and gp41 of HIV. In addition, this inventionconsists of the hybridomas which produce those human monoclonalantibodies and were formed by fusion between human lymphocytes and mousemyeloma cells. These hybridomas have been deposited with the AmericanType Culture Collection (ATCC) as accession numbers HB9669, HB9670 andHB10074 (S1-1). In addition, another aspect of this invention is themethod by which the inventors succeeded in efficiently forming thosehybridomas, a method in which human lymphocytes were first treated withcomplement and anti-human T-lymphocyte mouse MCA or AET treated SRBC andFicoll and then the treated human lymphocytes were fused with mousemyeloma cells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendantadvantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A-1I illustrate the results of a Western blot analysis todetermine the viral antigens recognized by the MCAs;

FIG. 2 illustrates the results of radioimmuno-precipitation assay todetermine the antigenic determinants recognized by MCA S1-1;

FIG. 3A-3C illustrate the results of indirect fluorescent antibodyassays to determine the ability of MCA S1-1 to bind to the surface ofHIV-infected cells;

FIG. 4 illustrates the results of a neutral red dye uptake assay todetermine the ability of MCA S1-1 to neutralize HIV-IIIb; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the results of an antigen capture assay to determinethe ability of MCA S1-1 to neutralize HTLV-IIIb;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the results of the gp120-CD4 inhibitionassay/screening method of the present invention. This is a unique methodwhich has not heretofore been reported to screen hybridomas forappropriate activity.

FIGS. 8A-8D show neutralization of divergent HIV isolates by S1-1antibody. FIG. 8A: S1-1 neutralization of HIV/IIIB, maximalneutralization independent of complement occurred at 100 μg/ml, ID50 at32 μg/ml of S1-1. FIG. 8B: S1-1 neutralization of HIV/MN at ID50 of 2.0μg/ml independent of complement. FIG. 8C: S1-1 complement-dependentneutralization of HIV/RF at ID50 of 100 μg/ml. FIG. 8D: S1-1complement-dependent neutralization of clinical isolate #20, maximalneutralization at 100 μg/ml at ID50 of 68 μg/ml of S1-1.

FIGS. 9A-9C show the flow cytometry results with HIV-infected ( . . . )and non-infected cells (------). FIG. 9A: HIV-positive sera. FIG. 9B:S1-1. FIG. 9C: anti-VZV human monoclonal antibody.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The human lymphocytes employed in the method of this invention can beobtained from the spleen, lymph nodes, peripheral blood, bone marrow,tonsils, adenoids, etc., of seropositive donors. To achieve theobjective of this invention, use can be made of lymphocytes from any ofthose sources, but it is most desirable that they be obtained from thelymph nodes, spleen or tonsils of seropositive donors or patients withlymphadenopathy.

Preferred human monoclonal antibodies of the present invention areantibodies which block binding of viral gp120 to its CD4 receptor on thelymphocyte surface. Most preferred are antibodies which block gp120-CD4binding at an ID50 concentration of 100 ng/ml or less obtained frompatients having high gp120-CD4 inhibitory titers. One aspect of thepresent invention is a novel screening method which allows one toidentify seropositive donors or patients having lymphocytes whichproduce antibodies which strongly block gp120-CD4 binding, one measureof virus neutralization. B-lymphocytes obtained from patients identifiedby the present screening method as producing high-titer antibodies whichstrongly block gp120-CD4 binding are particularly preferred for use informing hybridomas.

In the present screening method, multiple well microtiter plates arecoated with soluble CD4 (sCD4). Soluble CD4 is commercially available.The sCD4 coated plate is then blocked with non-specific binding protein.Suitable proteins include, but are not limited to, gelatin and albumin,for example. Other non-specific blocking proteins are well known in theart and may be used as the blocking protein in the present screeningmethod. The non-specific blocking protein is generally applied in abuffer, such as phosphate buffered saline, Tween, etc. and incubated atabout 37° C. for a sufficient time to block the non-specific bindingsites on the CD4 coated wells. Blocking is generally accomplished byincubating the microtiter plate coated with a dilute solution of gelatinin buffer (0.01-1 wt. %) for about 15 minutes-2 hours at 37° C.

Ten-fold serial dilutions of sera obtained from seropositive patientsare then prepared and preincubated with recombinant gp120 (0.01-1.0μg/ml) for a sufficient time to allow immunological binding of theantibodies present in the patient's sera to the gp120. Preincubation maybe conducted at room temperature or slightly elevated temperatures(25°-37° C.) for about 15 minutes to about 2 hours in a microtiter plateseparate from the microtiter plate coated with sCD4. Recombinant gp120is commercially available.

After preincubation, the sera/gp120 solution is then added to the sCD4coated plate and incubated for about 15 minutes-2 hours at roomtemperature or a slightly elevated temperature (25°-37° C.). The plateis then washed free of excess reagents with buffer. Labeled pooled humananti-HIV antibody is then added to the plate and incubated as before.Detection of the labeled antibody provides a quantitative analysis ofthe ability of the patent's serum to block gp120-CD4 binding. This is ameasure of the antibody titer in the patient's serum which blocks thebinding site for CD4 on gp120.

The pooled human anti-HIV antibody may be labeled with any known labelwhich can be directly or indirectly observed or measured. Suitabledirectly observable labels include radiolabels, biotin pigments, dyes,or other chromogens, spin labels and fluorescent labels. These antibodylabels are well known in the art.

Amplification and greater distinction from background can be achieved bythe use of enzyme labels or enzyme labelling systems. The substrate isselected to yield the preferred measurable product. Chromogenic andfluorogenic enzymes are preferred. These enzymes and substrates yieldingchromogenic and fluorogenic compounds, respectively, are known.

A preferred enzyme is alkaline phosphatase. Use of p-nitrophenylphosphate substrate produces the p-nitrophenol chromogen. A particularlypreferred enzyme is horseradish peroxidase (HRP) which is used with thesubstrate tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The optical density (O.D.) at 405nm can be read on a conventional ELISA reader to quantitate thegp120-CD4 binding activity in patient sera. Generally, aqueous solutionsof the enzyme substrate (TMB) containing from 10⁻² and 10⁻¹⁰ molar,preferably from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁵ molar concentrations of the substrate maybe used to develop the chromogen or fluorogen.

After the sera-gp120 solution is added to the sCD4 coated plate andincubated, the plate is washed free of excess reagents and biotinylatedpooled human anti-HIV is added to the plate and incubated. The plate isthen washed and streptavidin-HRP is added and further incubated. Afterwashing with buffer, TMB is added and the optical density at 405 nm isread using an ELISA reader. Low optical density values correlate withhigh blocking of gp120-CD4 binding. Patients whose sera exhibit thegreatest blocking of gp120-CD4 binding, i.e., gp120-CD4 inhibitiontiters of greater than 10,000 fold are preferred as a source ofB-lymphocytes for subsequent fusion with mouse myeloma cells. Thescreening method of the present invention is unique because it allowsdirect identification of both sera and monoclonal antibodies thatinhibit the very specific interaction of gp120-CD4 binding.

As the mouse myeloma cells, it is advantageous to employ a cell linewhich is resistant to 8-azaguanine; and the following are some of thepublicly-known cell lines from BALB/C mice: P3x65Ag8, P3-NS1/l-Ag4-l,P3x63AgUl, SP2/OAgl4, P3x63Ag8.6.5.3, MPC11-45.6.TG1.7 and SP-1.

In the method of this invention, prior to the fusion of the humanlymphocytes and the mouse myeloma cells, it is desirable to treat thehuman lymphocytes with complement and an anti-human T-lymphocyte mouseMCA (e.g., OKT3, a product of Ortho Diagnostics Co., Ltd.) or to treatthe human lymphocytes with AET (Aminoethylisothiouranium BromideHydrobromide) treated SRBC (sheep red blood cells) and Ficoll so as toeliminate the human T-lymphocytes. In the actual performance of themethod of this invention, for example, a fixed lymphatic tissue issurgically excised from a seropositive human donor and gently dissectedwith scissors and a scalpel to obtain a liquid containing suspendedcells. Then, to remove T-cells from these suspended cells, the followingtwo methods were used:

(1) This suspension is then layered onto a Ficoll-Paque solution, andthe lymphocytes are separated and harvested by centrifugation. Then, thelymphocytes are treated with one volume of fresh serum as the source ofcomplement and two volumes of an anti-human T-lymphocyte mouse MCA todestroy the T-lymphocytes and resultant B-lymphocytes are harvested bycentrifugation.

(2) This suspension is mixed with AET treated SRBC and then layered ontoa Ficoll-Paque solution and B-lymphocytes are separated and harvested bycentrifugation. If B-lymphocytes were used instead of nontreatedlymphocytes, the hybridoma formation is increased.

The thus-obtained human B-lymphocytes are then fused with mouse myelomacells. The general conditions for cell fusion and culture of hybridomasare already known, but the inventors nevertheless carried out vigorousresearch to determine the most desirable combinations for achievingformation of hybridomas and propagation of them and as a result wereable to achieve formation of one hybridoma for every 10⁴ lymphocytestreated by the method of the invention.

Those conditions were determined to be as follows. For example,lymphocytes and mouse myeloma cells are mixed at a ratio of 10:1 to1:100, preferably 1:1 to 1:10, a suitable solution for cell fusion, suchas RPMI 1640 containing about 35% polyethyleneglycol (molecular weight:about 1,000-6,000) and about 7.5% dimethylsulfoxide is added, this cellsuspension is stirred for one to several minutes at a temperature in theambient to 37° C. range, this suspension is gradually diluted and thenwashed with RPMI 1640 containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), and finallyit is adjusted with HAT (hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine) selectiveculture solution to give a cell density of 5×10⁵ /ml. Mouse peritonealexudate cells are added to a 96-well plate as a feeder layer, and theculture solution is removed immediately, before the fused cells areintroduced, by dispensing 0.2 ml aliquots of the suspension into thewells of the plate. These are then cultured for 2-3 weeks at 35°-38° C.in humidified air containing 5% CO₂. Only hybridoma cells are present inthe HAT culture solution, since the 8-azaguanine resistant myeloma cellsand cells arising from fusion of myeloma cells cannot survive in the HATsolution (unfused antibody-producing cells die within a few days).

After culturing of the hybridomas in the 96-well plates, the antibodytiter of the culture fluid of each well containing cells is determinedby the enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) technique, and onlyhybridomas which produce the desired antibodies are selected. Cells ofeach selected hybridoma are collected, cloning is performed by thelimiting dilution method, and subclones which stably produce an MCA areestablished. Then those hybridomas are further investigated by analyzingthe antigens recognized by their produced MCAs by the Western blotanalysis and/or radioimmunoprecipitation analysis technique, andinvestigating the ability of the produced MCAs to immunologically bindto the surface of HIV-infected cells, and those hybridomas which areproducing an MCA which binds to gp120 and gp160 and which is able tobind to the surface of infected cells are finally selected.

The mouse-human hybridomas which were obtained by the method of thisinvention as described above and which produce anti-HIV human MCAs canbe preserved by freezing. If these hybridoma cell lines and/or celllines derived from them are cultured on a large scale by an appropriatemethod, it is possible to obtain from the culture supernatant the humanMCAs which are the objective of the present invention. In addition, ifthese hybridomas are transplanted into animals to form tumors, theproduced human MCA can be obtained from the ascites or the serum of theanimals.

The anti-HTV human MCAs which have been obtained by the methodsdescribed above have been found to have the following characteristics.

(1) In ELISA using fixed viral antigens obtained from HIV-infectedcells, the MCAs were positive for binding, but they were negative forbinding in ELISA using a plastic coated with substances obtained fromuninfected cells by the same technique.

(2) Since HIV is composed of many antigenic substances, the Western blotanalysis technique and/or RIPA technique was applied to determine thenature of the structural components to which the human MCAs obtained inthis invention bind. It was thus found that one of the human MCAs bindsto a molecules having a molecular weights of 120 kD and 160 kD (160 kDis the precursor of 120 kD and 41 kD molecules). The second MCA wasfound to bind to molecules having molecular weights of 41 kD, 120 kD and160 kD.

(3) The MCAs were investigated to determine whether or not they bind tothe surface of HIV-infected cells. After the human MCA was reacted withunfixed HIV-infected cells, fluorescein-labeled antibody to human IgGwas allowed to react, and strong fluorescence was observed on thesurface of the infected cells. Therefore, it was learned that all of thehuman MCAs of this invention bind to the surface of infected cells.

(4) Human IgG is known to have four subclasses, i.e., IgG1, IgG2, IgG3and IgG4, with each subclass having its own characteristic biologicalactivities. Each of the anti-HIV human MCAs obtained in this inventionwas thus investigated for its subclass using a specific animalantiserum, and it was found that all of the MCAs of this inventionbelong to the IgG1 subclass.

EXAMPLES

Experimental Example 1

A. Cell Fusion

1. Collection of Lymphocytes

A lymph node which was surgically excised from an ARC patient was finelyminced using scissors and a scalpel. Cells therefrom were suspended inmedium A (RPMI 1640 containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), 2 mMglutamine, 1 mM sodium pyruvate, 20 μg/ml L-serine, 0.05 μ/ml humaninsulin and 80 μg/ml gentamicin sulfate). This cell suspension waslayered onto a Ficoll-Paque solution and centrifuged at 1,500 rpm for 20min. The cells which collected on the top of the Ficoll-Paque solutionwere harvested, centrifugally washed once with phosphate-buffered saline(PBS) and twice with RPMI 1640. Finally, the cells were resuspended inRPMI 1640 to a concentration of 1×10⁷ cells/ml.

2. Treatment of Lymphocytes

To reduce the amount of cell fusion that would take place withT-lymphocytes, the T-lymphocytes in the lymphocyte suspension wereeliminated by either of the following two methods.

(1) OKT3 (Ortho Diagnostics Co., Ltd.) was added to the above-mentionedcell suspension to give a final 200-fold dilution. After reacting at 4°C. for 60 minutes, the cells were precipitated by centrifugation (1,500rpm for 5 min). Next, baby rabbit complement was diluted 3-fold (withRPMI 1640) and added to the cell pellet to obtain a suspension, whichwas then reacted at 37° C. for 60 min. This cell suspension was thentwice subjected to centrifugal washing.

(2) The same volume of 1×10⁸ AET treated SRBC suspension in medium A wasadded to the above-mentioned cell suspension. After gently mixing atroom temperature for 5 minutes. The cells were precipitated bycentrifugation at 1000 rpm for 5 minutes. The cell pellet was incubatedat room temperature for 20 minutes, then gently suspended, and layeredonto Ficoll-Hypaque. After centrifugation at 1500 rpm for 20 minutes,the B-lymphocyte fraction was collected from the interface layer of themedium and the Ficoll-Hypaque and subjected to centrifugal washing.

3. Cell Fusion

The OKT3-treated or AET rosette treated lymphocytes or untreatedlymphocytes were each mixed with mouse myeloma P3U1 cells (both cellpopulations were 3×10⁷ cells) in RPMI 1640 medium. These cell mixtureswere then precipitated by centrifugation (1,600 rpm, 5 min). Thesupernatant was discarded, and the cell pellet was broken up by tappingthe tube. Then 1 ml of polyethylene glycol solution (35% v/vpolyethylene glycol No. 1000 and 7.5% v/v dimethylsulfoxide in RPMI1640) was slowly added to the tube, and this was allowed to stand forone minute at room temperature. Next, 2 ml of RPMI 1640 was added, andwas allowed to stand for one minute; another 2 ml of RPMI 1640 wasadded, and was allowed to stand for 2 minutes. Then 4 ml of HAT medium(95 μM hypoxanthine, 0.4 μM aminopterin, and 16 μM thymidine in mediumA) was added, and the mixture was allowed to stand for 2 minutes;another 8 ml of HAT medium was added and the mixture was allowed tostand for 2 minutes; an additional 24 ml of HAT medium was added and themixture was allowed to stand at 37° C. for 30 minutes. Finally, thetotal volume was made up to between 75 and 150 ml by the addition of HATmedium.

Aliquots of approximately 200 μl were seeded into the wells of a 96-wellflat culture plate. This culture plate had been pretreated by seedingICR mouse (male) peritoneal exudate cells at 2×10⁴ cells/well;immediately prior to the seeding of the fused cells, the culture fluidwas removed from the wells. This culture plate was then incubated at 37°C. in a CO₂ incubator. Once per week, half of the culture medium in eachwell was replaced by HT medium (HAT medium from which aminopterin hadbeen left out), and the incubation was continued until hybridomacolonies became apparent.

4. Cloning

At the time when hybridoma colonies became apparent, each of the culturefluids was treated for the presence of antibody activity directed atHIV. The hybridomas of colonies which were found to be producingHIV-specific antibodies were then cloned. First, 96-well flat plateswere seeded with only mouse peritoneal exudate cells at 2×10⁴cells/well. Then, at various times from one hour to one day after theseeding, the culture medium was removed and the hybridomas were seededinto 96 wells each at 10 cells/well. For the first cloning, HT mediumwas employed, while medium A was used for the second cloning. After 2-3weeks of culture, the antibody activity was determined, and positiveclones were picked up. B. ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)

1. Vital Antigens

a. HTLV-III (human lymphotropic virus type III) antigen (BioneticsLaboratory Products Co., Ltd.)

b. CR10/NlT Antigens

CR10/NlT is a cell line which was established by creating a persistentinfection of CEM cells with the NlT strain of HIV. The viral antigenswere partially purified from this CR10 cell line. In brief, CR10/NlTcells were washed 3 times with PBS and then frozen at -70° C. At thetime of use, the frozen cells were thawed, and 10⁸ cells were suspendedin 9 ml of distilled water; this cell suspension was vigorously agitatedfor one minute using a Vortex blender. This was then centrifuged for 10minutes at 2,800 rpm, and the supernatant was collected. One ml of10-fold concentrated PBS was next added to the supernatant,centrifugation was performed at 15,000 xg for 30 min, and the pellet wascollected. The pellet was resuspended in 5 ml of PBS containing 0-1%Triton X-100 and 1 mM PMSF, sonicated 4 times for 15 sec each whilechilling in ice and allowed to stand for a further 30 minutes whilechilling in ice; the supernatant was then collected. The supernatant wassubjected to ultracentrifugation at 100,000 xg for one hour, and thesupernatant was employed as the viral antigen preparation. As thenegative control, an antigen preparation was obtained by treating CEMcells (uninfected by HIV) in the same manner.

2. Antigen-Coated Plates

HTLV-III antigen (1 μg/ml), CR10/NlT antigens (20-25 μg/ml) and CEMantigens (20-25 μg/ml) were each dispensed in aliquots of 50 μl wells ofseparate microtiter plates (Coster, No. 3912), and the plates were thenallowed to stand at 37° C. for 60 min. The plates were then washed twicewith HBSS-BSA (Hank's balanced salt solution, 0.5% bovine serum albuminand 0.1% NaN₃), PBS (Ca⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺) containing 3% BSA was dispensed at 125μl/well, and the plates were allowed to stand at 37° C. for 60 min andthen at 4° C. overnight to carry out blocking.

3. ELISA

The antigen-coated plates were washed twice with HBSS-BSA, and then 50μl of each of the heated (56° C. for 60 minutes) hybridoma culturefluids was added. After letting these react at room temperature for 60minutes, the plates were again washed twice with HBSS-BSA. Then 50 μl ofalkaline phosphatase-conjugated goat antibody to human IgG (diluted 1000x; Tago Inc.) were added, and reaction was again allowed to take placeat room temperature for 60 minutes before the plates were washed 4 timeswith HBSS-BSA. Next, 100 μl of 0.05M carbonate buffer containing 1 mg/mlp-nitrophenylphosphate and 1 mM MgCl₂, pH 9.5, was added to each well,and the plates were reacted at room temperature for 60 minutes orovernight. Finally, the optical density was measured at 405 nm using anELISA Reader (Titertech Inc.).

C. Experimental Results

1. Lymph node cells from Patient A were compared with and without OKT3treatment.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Generation of Hybridomas Producing IgG Antibodies to HIV*                            Number of Anti-HIV IgG-Positive Wells                                  Treatment                                                                              High O.D.**  Medium O.D.                                                                              Low O.D.                                     ______________________________________                                        - OKT3   3            2          1                                            + OKT3   6            5          6                                            ______________________________________                                         *Indicates wells containing hybridomas which produce IgG that reacts with     CR10/N1T antigens but not with negative control (CEM antigens).               **"High" means that the optical density at 405 nm was larger than 1.0,        while "Medium" indicates the 0.4-1.0 range and "Low" represents the           0.2-0.3 range. Therefore, more hybridomas producing IgG antibodies to HIV     were generated in the case of the lymphocytes which were treated with         complement and antilymphocyte antibody.                                  

2. AS reported above, hybridomas were obtained by fusion of mousemyeloma cells with OKT3-treated lymphocytes from the lymph nodes ofpatients with ARC, those hybridomas were cloned, and the inventorssuccessfully established hybridomas No. 86 (ATCC No. HB9669) and No. 1(ATTC No. HB9670), which stably produce MCAs. On the other hand,hybridoma S1-1 (ATCC No. HB-10074) which stably produces MCA wasobtained by fusion of mouse myeloma cells with AET rosette treatedlymphocytes from the spleen of patients with ARC. In ELISA, the MCAsproduced by hybridomas No. 86, No. 1, and S1-1 reacted with HTLV-IIIantigen and CR10/NlT antigens but not with CEM antigens. The MCAproduction rates were 10 μg/10⁶ cells/day in the case of No. 86, 20μg/10⁶ cells/days in the case of No. 1, and 5 μg/10⁶ cells/day in thecase of S1-1.

Experimental Example 2

A. Purification of MCAs

The culture fluids (1.5-2 liters) of hybridomas No. 86, No. 1, and S1-1were used as the starting materials. Ammonium sulfate was added to theculture fluids to 50% saturation, and the resultant protein precipitateswere collected by centrifugation at 10,000 rpm for 30 min. Theprecipitates were then dissolved in a suitable volume of PBS, followedby dialysis against PBS. The dialyzed solution was next applied to aprotein A-Sepharose column bed (bed volume: 6 ml; Pharmacia AB). Thecolumn was washed with saline, and then the IgG was eluted with HCl insaline (pH 2.5). The IgG eluted in this manner was confirmed to be pureby sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).

B. Identification of IgG Subclasses of MCAs

1. Heavy Chains

The purified MCA solutions were reacted with sheep antisera to humanIgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 (Serotec Inc.). The subclass of each MCA wasidentified on the basis of which antisera resulted in formation of animmunoprecipitation ring. It was thus found that No. 86, No. 1, and S1-1MCAs reacted only with the anti-IgG1 and did not react with the otherthree antisera. Therefore, all of these anti-HIV MCAs were identified tobe IgG1.

2. Light Chains

A microtiter plate was coated with goat antibody to human IgG (TagoInc.). Each of the purified MCAs was then reacted with this anti-humanIgG-coated plate. Next, in accordance with the method for ELISAdescribed earlier in section B. of Experimental Example 1, alkalinephosphatase-conjugated goat antibodies to human lambda chain and tokappa chain (Tago Inc.) were employed and the type of each MCA wasidentified. As a result, No. 86 MCA was shown to have a kappa chain,while No. 1 MCA and S1-1 MCA were found to have lambda chains.

C. Viral Antigens Recognized by the MCAs

The Western blot method (Bio Rad Immunoblot Assay; Bio Rad Inc.) wasemployed to identify which viral antigens were recognized by MCAs No. 86and No. 1. MCA No. 1 has also been referred to as MCA 1.2 by theinventors; thus, MCA 1 and MCA 1.2 refer to the same cell line. Theprocedures of the assay technique are briefly described as follows.

The HTLV-III strain of HIV was applied to SDS-PAGE, the separated viralantigens were blotted on nitrocellulose strips, and each of thesemi-purified MCAs was reacted thereon. Next, peroxidase-conjugatedantibody to human IgG was reacted with the strips, and finally, todevelop color, an enzyme substrate was reacted with the strips. Theresults are shown in FIG. 1. In the Figure, A is serum from an AIDSpatient, B is serum from a normal human, C is No. 86, D to G aresubclones of No. 86, H is the clone of No. 1, and I is S1-1.

MCA No. 86 reacted strongly with gp41 and reacted weakly with gp120. Asthe reason for reacting with both gp41 and gp120, it is possible thatMCA No. 86 was a mixture of one MCA which-reacted with gp41 and anotherMCA which reacted with gp120. To investigate this possibility, thehybridoma producing MCA No. 86 was again cloned, yielding subclones 1,2, 3, and 4, and the MCA produced by each of those subclones was alsosubjected to the Western blot assay. As seen in D, E, F and G, the MCAfrom each of the 4 subclones of hybridoma No. 86 reacted with both gp41and gp120.

This finding suggests that MCA No. 86 either recognizes an antigenicepitope which is present on both gp41 and gp120, or is an antibodydirected at the cleavage site of gp41 and gp120. MCA No. 86 also reactedwith gp160, and the reason for this is that this antigen is aglycoprotein constructed from gp41 and gp120.

MCA No. 1 reacted with gp120. It, of course, also reacted with gp160,which is the precursor of gp120.

MCA S1-1 did not react with any antigen on Western Blotted paper.

D. Radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA)

It sometimes occurs that some antigenic determinants recognized by MCAsare not detected by the Western blot analysis. This is thought to be dueto the destruction of tertiary structure of antigens by strongdetergent, heat, and methanol treatment of antigens used in the Westernblot assay. This phenomenon was observed in the case of MCA S1-1.Therefore, the antigens recognized by MCA S1-1 was determined by RIPA asfollows.

³⁵ S labeled cell extracts for RIPA were prepared as follows. MOT cellsor HTLV III (IIIb, MN, or RF strain) infected MOT cells (4 days afterinfection the MOT was equal to 10³ TCID₅₀ /5×10⁶ cells) were labeledwith ³⁵ S-cysteine and ³⁵ S-methionine (50 μCi/ml total activity). Thelabeling media was RPMI 1640 containing 1/10 the normal concentration ofmethionine, 10% extensively dialyzed fetal calf serum, the otheressential amino acids and the ³⁵ S labeled amino acids. Uninfected andinfected MOT cells were cultured 14 hours in the labeling media and thenwashed with PBS(-). The culture supernatants containing virus particleswere lysed with RIPA buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.4, 1% deoxycholate, 1%Triton X-100, 0.1% sodium dodecylsulfate and 1 mM (p-amidinophenyl)methanesulfonyl fluoride). The lysate was used as labeled antigens. Thelabeled antigens were divided and treated with 10 mM dithiothreitol(DTT) at 37° C. for 30 minutes or incubated in the absence of DTT for 30minutes. The labeled antigens were immunoprecipitated by the MCA S1-1and HIV+ human serum antibodies conjugated to protein-A sepharose beadsin the presence of RIPA buffer.

Labeled antigen-antibody complex conjugated to protein A-sepharose beadswere washed eight times with RIPA buffer, twice with 10 mM Tris HCl pH6.8, and then suspended in sample buffer (62.5 mM Tris HCl pH 6.8, 1%SDS, 20% glycerol, 0.2% bromphenol blue) in the presence of 2%2-mercaptoethanol. After heating the suspension at 100° C. for 3minutes, released labeled antigens were separated on a 10% acrylamidegel. After electrophoresis, the gel was fixed with 50% methanol-10%acetic acid, immersed in 1M salicylic acid-3% glycerol, and dried usinggel drier. The dried gel was autoradiographed at -80° C. for 3 to 5days. From FIG. 2, the following results were obtained:

(1) MCA S1-1 recognizes gp120 of three strains of HTLV-III (IIIb, MN andRF).

(2) The antigenic determinant on gp120 (gp160) was easily destroyed bysulfhydryl reagents.

E. Binding to Surface of HIV-Infected Cells

The ability of MCAs No. 86, No. 1, and S1-1 to bind to the surface ofHIV-infected cells was investigated by the indirect fluorescent antibodytechnique.

MOT cells (an HTLV-II transformed cell line), 5×10⁶ cells, were mixedwith 2.5×10⁶ TCID₅₀ of HTLV-IIIb, and this mixture was incubated at 37°C. for 2 hr to permit infection to proceed. These cells were thencultured for 3 days in RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% FCS, after whichthe cells were washed 3 times at 4° C. with PBS containing 0.1% NaN₃. Asthe negative control, MOT cells which were not infected with HIV wereemployed.

These unfixed cells were dispensed into conical tubes to give 2×10⁶cells/tube, and centrifugation was performed at 1,500 rpm for 5 minutes.The supernatant was discarded, and the cell pellet was suspended in 100μl of 50 μg/ml MCA in 0.1% NaN₃ -HBSS. This suspension was reacted at 4°C. for 60 minutes, and then the cells were washed 3 times with 0.1% NaN₃-1 mM EDTA-PBS. Each cell pellet was suspended in 100 μl of fluoresceinisothiocyanate-labeled antibody to human IgG (50× dilution; Tago Inc.),followed by reaction at 4° C. for 60 minutes.

The cells treated as described above were next analyzed by flowcytometry (FACSkan; Becton Dickinson, Co.). The status of binding wasinvestigated for the following combinations: HTLV-IIIb-infected MOTcells and serum (100× diluted) from an AIDS patient, uninfected MOTcells and serum (100× diluted) from an AIDS patient, HTLV-IIIb-infectedMOT cells and MCA S1-1, uninfected MOT cells and MCA S1-1,HTLV-IIIb-infected MOT cells and MCA V1, and uninfected MOT cells andMCA V1. V1 was an IgG human MCA specific for an irrelevant antigen.

The following results were obtained. MCA S1-1 bound to the surface ofHIV-infected cells, but it did not bind to the uninfected cells. Thesame results were obtained with MCA No. 86 and MCA No. 1. MCA VI, whichwas not specific for HIV, did not react with the HIV-infected cells(FIG. 3).

With an MCA which reacts with the surface of virus-infected cells, itcan be speculated that it might be possible to destroy the infectedcells in the presence of complement or in the presence of lymphocytes ormacrophages, thereby stopping the production of new virus and permittingsuppression of the spread of the infection.

F. Neutralization assay

The neutralizing assay of the MCAs was performed by two methods: neutralred dye uptake and p24 antigen capture. As used herein, the term"neutralization" means preventing the infection of lymphocytes with HIV.The neutral red dye uptake neutralization assay is based on thefollowing premise: when HIV infects permissive cells, the cells lyseafter a short time. Neutral red dye is incorporated into the cytoplasmof viable cells. In the neutral red dye uptake neutralization assay, ifa MCA could bind to HIV and prevent it from entering permissive cells,the cells would remain viable and they would take up neutral red dye,giving a calorimetric indication of cell survival which would beindicative of the neutralization of HIV. The protocol is given below.

Protocol for Neutralization Assay; Neutral Red Dye Uptake

Supernatant from HTLV-IIIb infected H9 cells was used as a virus sourcefor the neutralization assays. A Multiplicity of Infection (MOI) of20-25 was mixed with dilutions of anti-HIV antibody and incubated for 1hour at 37° C. HIV mixed with an irrelevant MCA or HIV mixed with HIVpositive serum were used as controls. After the virus-antibodyincubation, a CD4+ cell line (MOT) was added at 3×10⁴ cells/well. Theseplates, containing HIV, antibody, and MOT cells were then incubated foreither 5 or 6 days. On day 5 or 6, the cells in the 96-well microtiterplates were suspended by micropipette action and 100 μl was transferredinto corresponding wells of a poly-L-lysine coated plate containing 100μl of 0.014% neutral red dye in media. The neutral red dye containingplates were incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. All the cells attach to thepoly-L-lysine on the bottom of the well while only the viable, undamagedcells took up the neutral red dye. After 1 hour, the plate was washedfree of excess dye and 100 μl of 1% acetic acid in 70% ethanol was thenadded to the 96-well plates. The cells containing the dye lysed andreleased the dye into the supernatant. A calorimetric determination ofcell survival was made using a Titertek ELISA reader at 540 mM.

Results: Neutral Red Dye Uptake

The following results were obtained in the neutral red dye uptakeneutralization assay. MCA S1-1 was observed to neutralize over 90% ofthe infectious HIV at a concentration of 100 μg/ml as measured by theneutral red dye uptake, cell survival assay (FIG. 4). As theconcentration of MCA S1-1 decreased, it inhibited less HIV frominfecting the permissive cell line, MOT. Normal serum did not inhibitHIV infection at all, while HIV-positive serum inhibited HIV infectionto a 90-fold dilution. Neither MCA S1-1 nor HIV-positive serumeffectively neutralized HIV at concentrations less than 11 μg/ml or atgreater than 90-fold dilutions, respectively.

Protocol for Neutralization Assay:

Antigen Capture Assay

Another HIV neutralization assay was performed that detects the p24 HIVcore protein in an ELISA antigen capture assay. When HIV infectspermissive cells, it replicates itself inside the cell and releasesviral particles from the cell into the surrounding supernatant wherethey can be detected. Again, if a MCA were to bind to HIV and inhibitpenetration into the cell, HIV could not replicate itself and would notrelease viral particles into the supernatant. The p24 antigen capturewas performed as follows.

Cell-free HTLV-IIIb infected H9 supernatant at a MOI of 20-25 wasincubated with dilutions of anti-HIV antibody in 96-well microtiterplates for 1 hour at 37° C. It is important to note that the amount ofHIV inoculum could not be detected by this antigen capture assay. Onlythe viral particles produced by HIV infected cells are detected. HIVmixed with an irrelevant MCA or HIV mixed with HIV-positive sera wereused as controls. After the virus-antibody incubation, a CD4+ cell line(MOT) was added to the plates at 3×10⁴ cells/well. These platescontaining HIV, antibody, and MOT cells were then incubated for 7 days.Samples of the supernatants were taken from each well at 3, 5, and/or 7days. These samples were heat-inactivated for 1 hour at 56° C. and thenadded to 96-well ELISA plates coated with 5 μg/ml of HIV-positive serum.After 1 hour incubation at room temperature, the ELISA plates werewashed with 0.05% Tween-20 in phosphate buffered saline. Then abiotinylated MCA specific for p24 (Western Blot) was added to the platesat 2 μg/ml, and the plate was incubated and washed as before.Streptavidin conjugated alkaline phosphatase was then added to the plateat a concentration of 1 μg/ml, incubated for 1 hour and washed free ofexcess reagent. One mg/ml of para-nitrophenyl phosphate in carbonatebuffer pH 9.5 was added to the plate and the optical densities of thewells were read on a Titertek Multiskan ELISA reader at 405 nm. Anincrease in optical density indicated that more p24 was present in theoriginal culture supernatant.

Results: p24 Antigen Capture

The following results were obtained from the HIV p24 antigen captureneutralization assay. MCA S1-1 blocked HIV infection significantly asevidenced by low levels of the p24 HIV core protein in the presence ofS1-1 concentrations of from 125 to 100 μg/ml (FIG. 5). S1-1 did notmaintain neutralization at lower concentrations. HIV-positive serumcompletely neutralized infection at 10-fold and 20-fold dilutions andpartially neutralized HIV at a 40-fold dilution, but also did notmaintain neutralization at higher dilutions as indicated by high levelsof p24.

Discussion

MCA S1-1 neutralizes HIV infection in permissible cells. The degree ofneutralization depends on the concentration of the MCA. At highconcentrations (100 μg/ml) S1-1 inhibits 93% of cell-free HIV frominfecting cells in a cell survival assay. Although S1-1 lost thecapacity to neutralize HIV at lower concentrations, HIV-positive serumalso lost the ability to neutralize at high dilutions. Consistent withthe cell survival assay results, less p24 HIV core protein was producedin the presence of S1-1, indicating that S1-1 inhibits HIV infection.

The results of the various experiments described above are compiled inthe following Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Property    No. 86     No. 1     S1-1                                         ______________________________________                                        Isotype of MCA                                                                            IgGl.κ                                                                             IgGl.λ                                                                           IgGl.λ                                Binding to HIV in                                                                         HTLV-IIIb  HTLV-IIIb HTLV-IIIb                                    ELISA       CR10/N1T   CR10/N1T  CR10/N1T                                     Binding to HTLV-                                                              IIIb infected cells                                                           fixed       +          +         +                                            unfixed     +          +         +                                            Viral antigens                                                                            gp120, gp41                                                                              gp120     gp120                                        recognized by MCA                                                             Neutralization                                                                            -          -         +                                                                             (90% at                                                                       100 μg/ml                                                                  dye uptake                                                                    method)                                      MCA production rate                                                                       10         20        5                                            (μg/10.sup.6 cells/day)                                                    ______________________________________                                    

Neutralizing Specificity of S1-1 Antibody Methods

Cells and virus. Infectious virus was obtained from cell-freesupernatants of H9 cells infected with HIV/IIIB, MN, and RF (provided byDr. Robert Gallo to the NIAID AIDS research and reference reagentprogram). Clinical isolate #20 (provided by Dr. Paul Feorino at theCenters for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga.) was also propagated in H9cells. Viral stocks were made and frozen at -70° C. for neutralizationassays. Both non-infected cells and infected cells were propagated inRPMI 1640 (Flow Labs) containing 10% fetal calf serum and 125 μg/mlgentamicin (Gibco). MoT cells were used as target cells forneutralization assays and antigen preparations. MoT cells are a 95% CD4+cell line that is permissive, highly cytopathic and 100% lytic wheninfected with HIV-1 (Saxon et al, Ann. Interm. Med., 88:323-326, 1978).

Fusion. A single cell suspension was made from the spleen of an HIVsero-positive patient who underwent clinically-indicated splenectomy.The suspension was incubated in a flask for 1 hour at 37° C. to removeadherent macrophages and then non-adherent cells were transferred toanother flask. The lymphocytes were then depleted of T-cells by arosetting procedure. Sheep red blood cells (sRBC) were treated with AET(2-aminoethyl isothioronium bromide hydrobromide) and added to thelymphocytes such that the ratio of the sRBC pellet volume to thelymphocyte pellet volume was 10 to 1. The sRBC-lymphocyte mixture wasthen suspended and incubated for 30 minutes. Then a ficoll hypaqueseparation was performed and the B-cell fraction was removed from theinterface (buffy coat). The final preparation of cells contained greaterthan 90% B-cells as determined by immunofluorescence.

Then 9×10⁶ B-cells were fused with 18×10⁶ of the mouse myeloma cell lineP3x63AgU1 (Yelton et al, Lymphocyte Hybridomas, New YorkSpringer-Verlag, 1985) in the presence of 35% polyethylene glycol and7.5% dimethylsulfoxide in RPMI 1640. The cells were plated in 96-wellmicrotiter flat-bottom plates containing mouse peritoneal macrophages asa feeder layer at a density of 10⁴ /well. Hydridomas were selected inRPMI 1640 containing hypoxanthine (95 μM), aminopterin (0.4 μM) andthymidine (16 μM) as selective additives. Approximately 14 days postfusion, supernatant samples were taken from the well containinghybridomas and assayed for anti-HIV human IgG activity.

Screening/Cloning. Hybridomas were screened for anti-HIV human IgGantibody secretion by ELISA methodology. The ELISA was performed byincubating hybridoma supernatants with the infected and non-infectedcell lysate-coated ELISA plates for 1 hour. The plates were washed freeof hybridoma supernatant and alkaline phosphatase-conjugated goatanti-human IgG (Tago) was added at 1 μg/ml and incubated for 1 hour.Then the plates were washed free of the second antibody and 1 mg/ml ofp-nitrophenyl phosphate (Sigma) in carbonate buffer (pH9.5) was addedand the optical densities of each well were read at 405 nm on a TitertekMultiskan ELISA reader 4 to 12 hours later. The ELISA-positive anti-HIVantibody secreting hybridomas were cloned over 5 times by limitingdilution to ensure monoclonality.

Antibody purification and characterization. Anti-HIV supernatants frommass culture were ammonium sulfate precipitated and then the IgG waspurified using a protein A-sepharose column (Pharmacia). The purity ofthe IgG was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID)plates (ICN) were used to determine the isotypes of the antibodies.Anti-human kappa and lambda chain specific second antibodies (Tago) wereused in ELISA to determine the light chain subtype. The concentrationsof the human monoclonal antibodies (HuMAbs) were determined by SRID.Western blotting (DuPont) was performed according to the manufacturersinstructions using the HuMAbs and HIV positive and negative serum ascontrols.

Flow cytometry. MoT or H9 cells infected with either HIV/IIIB, MN or RFand non-infected cells were incubated at 4° C. for 1 hour with either100 μl hybridoma supernatants, HIV positive sera, or an irrelevant HuMAb(anti-Varicella Zoster Virus, anti-VZV) and then washed. FITC conjugatedgoat anti-human IgG (Tago) was added to the cells and incubated asbefore. The cells were then washed free of excess second antibody, fixedwith 1% formalin and their surface immunofluorescence was analyzed on aBecton Dickinson FACSkan Analyzer.

Radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA). RIPA was performed using amodification of Allan et al (Science, 228:1091-1093, 1985).Radio-labeled cell extracts were prepared by the addition of a ³⁵S-cysteine/methionine mixture (ICN) (50 μCi/ml) to both 5×10⁶non-infected and HIV infected MoT cells. Prior to labeling, cells weregrown in 1/10h methionine RPMI 1640 containing 10% dialyzed fetal calfserum. The cells were incubated in the presence of labeling media for 14hours. Then the cells were washed once in PBS and lysed in RIPA buffer(20mM Tris-HCl pH7.4, 1% deoxycholate, 1% Triton X-100, 0.1% SDS and 1mM PMSF). The lysate was clarified by high speed centrifugation(32,000×g for 1 hour). In some experiments the labeled antigens wereenriched for glycoproteins on a lentil lectin-Sepharose column(Pharmacia) according to the instructions provided with the product. Thepurified HIV glycoproteins were divided into two fractions and one ofthem was treated with 5 mM DTT to destroy conformational structure ofviral proteins. The HIV antigens were incubated with S1-1, HIVIG(provided by Dr. Alfred Prince to the NIAID AIDS Research and ReferenceReagent Program), or HIV negative serum. Protein A Sepharose was addedto the mixture which bound the antigen-antibody complexes and then waswashed free of unbound antigen several times with RIPA buffer.Immunoprecipated antigen was boiled for 5 minutes and thenelectrophoresed on a 10% polyacrylaminde gel. After electrophoresis thegel was dried, exposed to Kodak X-Omat film and the autoradiograph wasdeveloped 3-4 days later.

Neutralization assay. The neutralization test was performed byincubating 50 μl of 200 tissue culture infectious dose 50 (TCID50) ofHIV/IIIB, MN, RF or clinical isolate #20 with 50 μl of serial three-folddilutions of S1-1, HIVIG, or an anti-gp41 HuMAb, No. 86 in 96-wellplates. In complement-dependent neutralization assays, guinea pigcomplement (Pelfreez) was added to the anti-body-virus mixture at afinal dilution of 1:20. After a 1 hour incubation at 37° C., 3×10⁴ MoTcells (100 μl) were added to the HIV-antibody mixture. The plates werethen incubated for 7 days at 37° C. in a humidified 5% CO₂ chamber. Toquantitate neutralization, cell survival in the presence of anti-HIVantibody was measured using a similar procedure to that of Montefiori etal (J. Clin. Microbiol., 26:231-235, 1988). 100 μl of the remaining MoTcells in the neutralization cell culture plate were suspended bymicropipette action and added to poly-L-lysine coated plates containing100 μl of 0.014% neutral red dye (Sigma). The plates were incubated for1 hour and washed free of excess dye. The 1% acetic acid in 50% methanolwas added to the plates to lyse the cells containing dye and the colordevelopment was quantitated at 540 nm on a Titertek Multiskan ELISAreader.

V3-loop binding assay. To investigate whether the epitope of S1-1 existswithin the V3-loop on gp120, the binding of S1-1 to a V3-loop peptidewas examined by dot blot assay. One microgram of HIV/IIIB syntheticpeptide (provided to the AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program byDr. Mark E. Gurney) was placed onto a nitrocellulose membrane in aBio-Dot blotting apparatus (Bio-Rad). The nitrocellulose membrane wasthen blocked with 5% goat milk in PBS-Tween (0.05% Tween-20) at 4° C.overnight. Individual blots were incubated with S1-1, HIVIG, or ananti-IIIB-V3-loop mouse monoclonal antibody (DuPont, Cat#NEA-9305), at aconcentration of 1 μg/ml for 1 hour and then washed with PBS-Tween.Alkaline phosphatase conjugated goat anti-human or goat anti-mouse IgG(Tago) was incubated with the blots for 1 hour on a rocker and thenwashed free of second antibody as above. Bromochloroindolyl phosphate(BCIP) (0.17%) and nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) (0.34%) in carbonatebuffer (pH 9.6) were used as a substrate for alkaline phosphatase. Thealkaline phosphatase buffer was added to the blots and the NBT wasallowed to precipitate onto the dots.

Gp120-soluble CD4 inhibition assay. A 96-well microtiter ELISA plate wascoated with 50 μl of soluble CD4 (sCD4) (Repligen) at 2 μg/ml and thenblocked with 0.1% gelatin in PBS-Tween for 1 hour at 37° C. Ten-fold,serial dilutions of either HuMAb S1-1, F105 (provided by Dr. MarshallPosner, Brown University, Providence, R.I.) or a murine anti-V3-loopantibody (Dupont, IIIB sequence-specific) were pre-incubated with 2μg/ml of recombinant gp120 (Repligen) for 1 hour at room temperature.The antibody-gp120 solution was then added to the sCD4 coated plate andincubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Then the plate was washed freeof excess reagents with PBS-Tween and 50 μl of 0.5 μg/ml of biotinylatedHIVIG was added to the plate and incubated as before. The plate waswashed and streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase (Tago) was added. Finally,after 1 hour at room temperature the plate was washed free of excessreagent and 100 μl of p-nitrophenyl phosphate was added at 1 mg/mlcarbonate buffer, pH 9.6. The O.D. at 405 nm was quantitated on aTitertek multiskan ELISA reader.

RESULTS

gp120-CD4 Inhibition ELISA Screening Method

A 96-well microtiter ELISA plate was coated with 50 μl of soluble CD4(obtained from Repligen) at 4 μg/ml and then blocked with 0.1% gelatinin PBS-Tween for 1 hour at 37° C. Ten-fold serial dilutions of antibodyS1-1, F105 (provided by Dr. M. Posner, Brown University) or a murineanti-V3-loop antibody (Dupont, IIIb sequence specific) were preincubatedwith 0.125 μg/ml of recombinant gp120 (obtained from Repligen) for onehour at room temperature. The antibody-gp120 solution was then added tothe sCD4 coated plate and incubated for one hour at room temperature.The plate was then washed free of excess reagents with PBS-Tween and 50μl of 0.5 μg/ml of biotinylated pooled human anti-HIV was added to theplate and incubated as before. The plate was washed andstreptavidin-alkaline phosphatase was added. Finally, after one hour atroom temperature, the plate was washed free of excess reagent and 100 μlof p-nitrophenyl phosphate was added. The optical density at 405 nm wasread on an Titertek-multiskan ELISA reader.

FIG. 6 shows the results of the gp120-CD4 inhibition ELISA screeningmethod on recently collected sera from 18 patients. The fresh sera wascollected from HIV patients who were in relatively good condition, i.e.,either ARC or asymptomatic. Five of the 18 patients showed 50%inhibition of blocking (ID50) at greater than 1:10,000 dilution ofserum. Monoclonal antibody S1-1 shows an ID50 concentration of 62 ng/ml.

FIG. 7 shows the results on 14 patients with advanced disease whose serahad been stored frozen. The ID50 of two of these sera was at a dilutionfactor greater than 1:8,000 and one was greater than 1:10,000.

The results illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 show that a majority of HIVpatient's sera show some degree of blocking of gp120/CD4 binding. Evensera from patients with advanced disease shows a substantial degree ofblocking. These data indicate that the screening method of the presentinvention is suitable for identifying donors with very high titerblocking antibody as suitable sources for B-lymphocytes.

Neutralization assay. S1-1 neutralized HIV/IIIB and MN independent ofcomplement and neutralized the divergent isolate, HIV/RF along with aclinical isolate #20, only in the presence of complement (FIG. 8). FIG.8A shows complement-independent neutralization of HIV/IIIB. The ID50(inhibitory dose in which 50% of the lytic effects of HIV were inhibitedby antibody) of S1-1 in the presence and absence of complement was 32μg/ml and 40 μg/ml, respectively for HIV/IIIB. FIG. 8B also showscomplement-independent neutralization by S1-1 of HIV/MN. S1-1 was ableto strongly neutralize HIV/MN with an ID50 of 2.0 μg/ml. In FIG. 8C,S1-1 neutralized the HIV/RF isolate only in the presence of complement;the ID50 was 100 μg/ml. In FIG. 8D, S1-1 neutralized clinical isolate#20 only in the presence of complement with an ID50 of 68 μg/ml. Atvarying degrees of neutralization, HIVIG neutralized all HIV strainstested, while an anti-gp41 HuMAb, No. 86, did not neutralize any of thestrains tested. In other experiments S1-1 neutralized HIV/IIIB and MNusing MT-2 cells, another CD4+ cell line, at concentrations similar tothose shown for MoT cells.

Flow cytometry. In flow cytometric analysis, S1-1 reacted with thesurface of HIV/IIIB and HIV/RF infected MoT cells and HIV/MN-infected H9cells (FIG. 9B).

Western blot analysis. S1-1 did not bind to SDS-PAGE denatured HIVantigens in a Western blotting format.

Radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA). Upon incubation of S1-1 with ³⁵S-Methione/Cysteine-labeled HIV/IIIB, MN and RF cell free virus, S1-1reacted with gp120 from these three diverse isolates, confirming thebroad specificity observed with S1-1 in flow cytometry.

Since S1-1 did not bind to denatured antigens in Western blotting, anexperiment was run to determine if the epitope of S1-1 was disulfidebond-dependent. In RIPA using lentil lectin-purified HIV/IIIB-infectedcell lysates, S1-1 bound to non-reduced gp120 and gp160. Upon treatmentof the HIV-infected cell lysate with 5 mM DTT, S1-1 no longer recognizedgp160 and gp120. When HIVIG was incubated with DTT-treated HIV-infectedcell lysate, HIVIG did not recognize gp120 but retained the ability torecognize gp160. Upon subsequent titration of DTT, approximately 90% ofHuMAb S1-1 and HIVIG reactivity with gp120 was lost at only 1 mM DTT and5 mM, respectively.

V3-loop binding assay. S1-1 did not bind to a V3-loop peptide fromHIV/IIIB blotted onto nitrocellulose membrane (the IIIB strain wasneutralized by S1-1). In contrast, the anti-HIV/IIIB V3-loop mousemonoclonal antibody bound to the peptide very strongly, whereas HIVIGbound to the V3-loop less strongly at the same antibody concentration.

Gp120-soluble CD4 inhibition assay. It has been reported by Ho et al (J.Virol., 65:489-493, 1991) that a broadly neutralizing anti-HIV humanmonoclonal antibody (15e) completely inhibited soluble CD4 (sCD4) frombinding to gp120. We performed a similar gp120-sCD4 inhibition assay todetermine whether S1-1 inhibited the binding of gp120 to sCD4. Theresults showed that S1-1 inhibited gp120 from binding to sCD4 atconcentrations as low as 1.0 μg/ml. HuMAb F105 effectively inhibitedgp120 from binding to sCD4 at concentrations of about 10 μg/ml. Incontrast, an anti-V3-loop neutralizing antibody, which binds to thegp120 used in this experiment, did not inhibit the binding of gp120 tosCD4 at any of the concentrations tested.

These results indicate that S1-1 does not bind to the V3-loop on gp120,but does bind to gp120 in or near the CD4 binding site. S1-1 inhibitsinfection of cells by a variety of HIV isolates indicating agroup-specific epitope. The results discussed above and the observationthat S1-1 effectively inhibits the binding of gp120-sCD4 in ELISAstrongly indicate that S1-1 neutralizes HIV by blocking the gp120-CD4interaction, which has been found to be critical for HIV infectivity.

The human monoclonal antibody 15e of Ho et al has been found toeffectively inhibit sCD4 from binding to gp120, neutralized multiple HIVisolates, but did not neutralize the HIV/RF isolate. In contrast,antibody S1-1 did not bind to denatured gp120 in Western blotting or toDTT-reduced gp120 in RIPA, but neutralized HIV/RF in the presence ofcomplement.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:
 1. A method for blocking and preventing thebinding of viral or recombinant gp120 glycoprotein to lymphocyte CD4 orsoluble CD4 in vitro, comprising the step of:contacting said gp120glycoprotein with human monoclonal IgG1 antibodies produced by hybridomaATCC Accession No. HB10074 which immunologically bind to said gp120 andprevent the binding of said gp120 to said CD4.
 2. A method for blockingand preventing the binding of recombinant gp120 glycoprotein to solubleCD4 in vitro, comprising the step of:contacting said gp120 glycoproteinwith human monoclonal IgG1 antibodies produced by hybridoma ATCCAccession No. HB10074 which immunologically bind to said gp120preventing the binding of said gp120 to said CD4 to form antibody/gp120immune complexes.
 3. A method for neutralizing a human immunodeficiencyvirus (HIV) in vitro, comprising the step of:contacting an HIV withhuman monoclonal IgG1 antibodies produced by hybridoma ATCC AccessionNo. HB10074 which immunologically bind to gp120 glycoprotein on thesurface of said HIV and prevent binding of gp120 glycoprotein tolymphocyte CD4.
 4. A method for screening a serum sample for antibodiescapable of blocking and inhibiting the binding of viral or recombinantgp120 glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) tolymphocyte CD4 or soluble CD4 in vitro, comprising the steps of:a)contacting a first portion of said gp120 glycoprotein with a serumsample in a manner and for a time sufficient to allow formation ofgp120/antibody immune complexes; b) attaching soluble CD4 to a solidsupport; c) blocking said attached CD4 with a nonspecific bindingprotein to form bound blocked CD4; d) contacting said bound blocked CD4with the gp120/antibody immune complexes of step a) in a manner and fora time sufficient to allow formation of bound CD4/gp120/antibody immunecomplexes; e) contacting said bound CD4/gp120/antibody immune complexeswith labeled anti-gp120 antibodies; f) detecting said label whereindetection of the label determines the presence of antibodies blockinggp120/CD4 binding; g) contacting a second portion of said gp120glycoprotein with human monoclonal IgG1 antibodies produced by hybridomaATCC Accession No. HB10074 which immunologically bind to said gp120 andprevent binding of said gp120 to said CD4 to form HB10074 antibody/gp120immune complexes; h) attaching soluble CD4 to a second solid support; i)blocking said CD4 attached to said second solid support with nonspecificbinding protein to form blocked CD4 bound to said second solid support;j) contacting said blocked CD4 bound to said second solid support withsaid HB10074 antibody/gp120 immune complexes in a manner and for a timesufficient to allow formation of bound CD4/gp120/HB10074 antibody immunecomplexes; k) contacting said bound CD4/gp120/antibody immune complexeswith labeled anti-gp120 antibodies; l) detecting said label whereindetection of the label determines the presence of HB10074 antibodiesblocking gp120/CD4 binding; and m) comparing the amount of labeldetected in step f) with the amount of label detected in step l).
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein said label is a chromogenic or fluorogenicenzyme, which is detected by contacting said enzyme with a chromogenicsubstrate.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said enzyme is horseradishperoxidase and said substrate is tetramethylbenzidine.